ALEXANDRU DARIDA Internationally acclaimed artist and member of the Romanian American Academy of Arts and Science will donate for auction the painting that you can see below

The painting donated by Alexandru Darida for the silent auction

Open your heart!

The story of the Lotus is very powerful. Underneath the surface the Lotus is surrounded by mud and muck, dirty rough conditions. Despite these circumstances the flower maintains strength and pushes aside each of these dirty obstacles as it makes its way to clear surface. We as the Lotus could grow naturally toward the warmth and light of the Truth ,Love and Compassion . There are many children that live in poverty and they can never make it to the surface so they can blossom. They are eager to feel the sunshine of the life. We all can rise above our circumstances and help others. The conditions that produce beautiful life are not always ideal but that never stops the Lotus from rising through adversity opening its petals and blossoming in the sun. Sure we can relate to this Lotus and see ourself in this story.

THE CONSULATE GENERAL OF ROMANIA IN CHICAGO ENDORSES OUR PROJECTS ON HELPING THE ORPHANS AND CHILDREN IN NEED IN ROMANIA

President Letter

Dear Friends and Supporters of Orphans and Children in Need of Romania:

Saint Paraskeva Orthodox Charity cordially invites you to its 5TH year anniversary gala fundraising event to benefit the children of Saint Onufrie Orphanage. The General Consulate of Romania in Chicago endorses our projects on helping the orphaned and children in need in Romania. Saint Paraskeva Orthodox Charity, is a U.S. based 501c3 tax exempt charity also known as “SPOC” (IRS Federal ID number: 272860674). The fundraising event is hosted on November 14, 2015 at Monastero’s Restaurant in Chicago and aims to raise funds in support of improving the livelihoods of 20 – 40 wonderful yet orphaned children that are to be relocated at the end of 2015 and during 2016 from the state orphanages of Cluj to the newly built orphanage hosted by the Floresti Monastery in Cluj.

The Saint Onufrie Orphanage of Floresti has five new housing compounds that have been newly built since 2013. The housing complex is supervised and run by Father Visarion, acting as President and Mr. Razvan Bitu, serving as Operations Director for the orphanage. This projected is foreseeing to start housing the first 5-8 children at the end of 2015 and the remaining 40 children for a total of 80 orphaned children through the year of 2016. Additional information in Romanian can be accessed via the website: Asociatia Filantropica Sfantul Onufrie.

During 2015, SPOC has fundraised and donated $48,000 to St. Onufrie orphanage that has been allocated towards the purchase of a new transportation vehicle for the site’s needs and as well towards finalizing the construction on the two of the five housing building complex to be finalized in December 2015.

Our goal for the beginning of 2016, is to raise $60,000 that will cover the cost expenses for housing, education and proper supervision for the 8– 10 children during a year period starting with January 2016. Two houses complex of the Orphanage are currently in the final remodeling and one of them is ready to welcome the first group of children in November. Unfortunately, due to lack of funds only a maxim of 3-5 children is scheduled to be brought by the month of December 2015.

The funds raised at this event will directly support the efforts to provide ongoing sustainable, long-term housing, education, nourishment, and social development care for these children. We would like to present you with the following sponsorship opportunities on how you can become an important supporter in the lives of these vulnerable bright young children.

If you can not make it through our event here are a couple of ways by which you can help:

a. be a sponsor of the event

b. be a volunteer (enroll on our website volunteer formhttp://www.spcharity.org/get-involved/)

c. order all yourAmazon shopping through Amazon Smile. There is no difference in your merchant price. The only difference is that Amazon will donate a small percentage of your order value to our charity. Select/or type in Saint Paraskeva Orthodox Charity from the list of not-for profit charity registered with Amazon.

d. be one of our promoters by making our projects visible through all friends and by inviting your friends to our fun fundraising activities.

It is only together that we can make the difference!

Yours truly,

Mariana Cuceu, MD, MPH

President Saint Paraskeva Orthodox Charity

Sponsors

Dear Sponsors of Saint Paraskeva Orthodox Charity:

By choosing to become a sponsor during our upcoming fundraising event, you will not only be contributing to our great cause, but also benefit via the following:

Platinum Level Sponsorship – $5,000

Receive a private table with 10 tickets to the fundraising event plus T-shirts

Your company’s name on our website as a sponsor and in our media announcements (i.e. our annual segment at WBEZ 91.5 FM radio in Chicago)

Your own promotional materials (including a banner) can be displayed during our event (dimensions must comply with our location lease agreement)

Directly market your products with our event participants

Exclusive invitation to sit on our charity’s board of director’s advisory group

Sponsorship Level

Gold Level Sponsorship – $2,500

Receive 5 tickets to the fundraising event plus T-shirts

Your company’s name on our website as a sponsor and in our media announcements (i.e. our annual segment at WBEZ 91.5 FM radio in Chicago)

Your own promotional materials (banner not included) can be displayed during our event (dimensions must comply with our location lease agreement)

Directly market your products with our event participants

Sponsorship Level

Silver Level Sponsor– $1,000

Receive 3 tickets to the fundraising event plus T-shirts

Your own promotional materials (banner not included) can be displayed during our event (dimensions must comply with our location lease agreement)

Directly market your products with our event participants

Sponsorship Level

Bronze Level Sponsor – $500

Receive 2 tickets to the fundraising event plus T-shirts

Your own promotional materials (banner not included) can be displayed during our event (dimensions must comply with our location lease agreement)

Directly market your products with our event participants

Sponsorship Level

Please note that the deadline for this sponsorship offer is valid until November 8, 2015.

Should you not be able to support our fundraising activities via a sponsorship, your generous donation in any other from and amount is greatly appreciated.

Saint Paraskeva Orthodox Charity (FEIN27-2860674) is a tax-exempt charitable organization under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. All donations made are income tax deductible under section 170 of the code.

Message from His Eminence Metropolitan NICOLAE

The Gospel parable of the final judgement from St. Matthew chapter 25 is a constant reminder to examine our deeds and to not for­get the weak among us. In this parable, those on the right, who fulfilled the Christian works of mercy, along with those on the left who have not fulfilled these deeds, both wonder­ when they might have seen Christ hungry or thirsty or naked or sick or in prison. (more...)